Thursday, July 10, 2014 9:45:00 AM America/Chicago

The very basic definition of Type 2 Diabetes is that your body does not produce insulin properly. Your body will cause glucose levels to rise higher than normal or anticipated, and this can also be referred to as hyperglycemia. Your pancreas will make extra insulin to account for this imbalance, but cannot keep up the high rate of production. It is possible for a simple dietary amino acid to assist people suffering from Type 2 Diabetes.

Arginine, which is commonly found in nuts (such as almonds and hazelnuts), has proven to help just as much as metabolizing glucose in mice.

Great results have been discovered by scientists in Cincinnati and Denmark in trials with mice. If these results reflect how arginine can assist humans just as well, then people suffering from Type 2 Diabetes will have a whole new realm of possibilities opened to them.

Ultimately, there is a wide range of benefits when it comes to increasing your arginine intake. Even if you do not suffer from diabetes, increasing your arginine intake can help you in a litany of ways. For example, research has shown that arginine can assist in preventing and in some cases, treating an array of ailments.

As research continues, who knows, we just might find better remedies to treat Type II Diabetes.

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Wednesday, September 18, 2013 11:42:15 AM America/Chicago

According to a recent article from Science Daily, new research conducted at the University of Copenhagen shows that the amino acid arginine provides many health benefits for those suffering from Type 2 Diabetes by helping to stabilize glucose in the body.

The body not using insulin properly causes type 2 Diabetes, which affects 90% of diabetics. At first, the pancreas makes extra insulin to compensate for what the body cannot produce, but over time can’t produce enough insulin to regulate glucose levels. (http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/type-2/)

The research has been conducted in labs using both lean (insulin sensitive) and obese (insulin resistant) mice. People suffering from Type 2 Diabetes are insulin resistant. The mice were subjected to the amino acid arginine and then monitored by a glucose tolerance test. The test is responsible for measuring the body’s ability to remove glucose from the blood over a period.

The results of the research are as such, in both groups of mice (lean and obese) there was a 40% improvement in glucose metabolism management. It was also shown that the production of the hormone GLP-1, a glucagon-like peptide-1, was increased. This intestinal hormone’s job is to regulate appetite and glucose metabolism. This hormone is used in the drugs that treat Type 2 Diabetes.

This research is paving a new road for those suffering with Diabetes. Although this research does not suggest we can now “cure” diabetes, it essentially shows that with arginine-infused dietary supplements and arginine based-foods, we can see the effect on how well our bodies process the foods we eat.